Nineteen Years
by Linxcat
Summary: What changes in nineteen years? Not a lot, as Harry is soon to find out.


Harry smiled as he helped Al onto the train with his trunk.

"You're early, Al, you'll be able to get whatever carriage you want." He said encouragingly. Al grinned. It was his second year at Hogwarts, and already he had tons more confidence.

"I'm gonna go bagsy one. See ya in a minute dad!" he waved and dragged his trunk off after a group of boys in his year.

Harry stepped back from the train and looked around. Ginny was restraining Lily, who was desperately trying to board the crimson locomotive. James was nowhere to be seen - probably off up to no good with his band of cheeky friends.

A family in a less crowded part of the station caught his eye. There was a father, mother and a son, who was climbing onto the train.

The man was tall, probably about the same height as him if not taller, with sleek blond hair. Harry noted with a smirk that it was receding at a much faster rate than his own. The boy looked just like him, but with longer more golden-blond hair. He hugged his mother before turning to lug his bag onto the train. The father moved forwards and knelt to talk to his son. Harry stepped closer.

"- And don't get into fights, I don't want to have to pick you out at St Mungo's."

"Yes dad,"

"Remember, don't do anything stupid, or try to live up to the Malfoy name or whatever. You're your own person."

"Yes dad,"

"Just because you're a Malfoy, it doesn't mean you have to act like a heartless arrogant jerk, ok? Leave that to Granddad and me."

"Yes dad," the boy laughed.

"Do us proud." He said softly, kissing his son on the forehead.

Harry smiled as he watched the display. Draco Malfoy had changed so much in nineteen years. The man stepped back as the train began to move.

"Bye dad!!"

Harry turned just in time to wave as his two sons disappeared down the track for another year.

"Hey, Harry where-" Ginny trailed off as she found her husband in the steam. The Malfoys had also heard her call, as they had both turned round. Draco and Harry's eyes met.

"Malfoy," he greeted, nodding.

"Potter," he replied, "We meet again."

There was a sort of awkward silence, before an amused Mrs Malfoy slipped her hand into the crook of Draco's arm.

"That sounded very melodramatic, dear." She smirked, eyebrows raised.

It was only then, with a jolt, that Harry realised who Mrs Malfoy was: Pansy! Her dark hair had grown a lot, and had been expertly styled into ringlets. Her bright green eyes were outlined in black, and a pair of what Harry believed was plastic, but looked suspiciously like emerald, earrings sparkled in the morning light. They were both dressed as muggles, and looked rather strange in jeans and jackets.

"So…that was Scorpius?" Harry gestured towards where the train had been, trying to make small talk and break the tension.

"Yes." Draco nodded, still a little awkward. Pansy gave a small smile. (Harry didn't think he'd ever seen her smile before. Smirk, yes. Smile, no. Turned out there was a lot maturity had to offer in the case of Pansy Parkinson)

"He's told us a lot about Albus. It seems our sons are friends."

"It seems so," replied Ginny.

There was an awkward silence. Harry's mind raced. What did you say to someone you'd hated for seven years, whose life you'd saved twice and now were on okay terms with? He didn't want to say something that could cause an argument, but then again he didn't exactly want to be bosom-buddies either.

My son's better than your son?

It turned out to be Ron who saved them.

"Hey, Harry, what time are you-" he began, but stopped as he saw the other family. Pansy now looked even more uncomfortable, one hand slipping protectively over her stomach (another little Malfoy on the way?), before clutching at her husband's arm.

"Malfoy." Said Ron brusquely, a few moments later.

"Weasley." Draco replied with just as much bristle.

The two of them stood there, faces impassive, arms folded. Harry found himself wishing one of them would leave and break the stalemate. Thankfully they only had to meet a few times a year, but he defiantly didn't want a fight to break out.

"How's the wife, Weaselby?" Draco drawled. Harry saw Pansy's eyes widen a little at the use of the old nickname and heard her murmur, "Draco, dear…"

"Why don't you ask me myself?" Hermione entered the conversation beside her husband, arms folded. Looking at the three of them, glowering, warning bells went off in Harry's head. He squeezed Ginny's shoulder.

"Time to leave," he murmured.

Pansy too seemed concerned. For once, she didn't want to pick an argument. Her fingers were clutching Draco's arm so hard Harry wondered whether he still had circulation. After an even longer and more awkward silence, she cleared her throat.

"Draco, darling, we really ought to get home. I left the house-elf in charge of the roast and I really don't trust her with the cooking spells after last time…" she tugged him a little, but he didn't reply.

"Don't you know using house-elves is cruel?"

Uh oh.

Harry bit his lip. Pansy had really opened up a can of worms mentioning house-elves around Hermione. She still fervently believed in SPEW.

The grown-up, mature Pansy melted away to reveal a sneer.

"I doubt you've ever even seen a house-elf, they wouldn't dare come near you with your filthy mudblood hands!" she hissed.

Draco let out a bark of laughter and snaked an arm around his wife's waist. Pleased to have earned her husband's affection, Pansy smirked.

"You take that back!" Ron snarled, ears growing as red as his hair.

"Or what, Weaselby?" Draco purred.

"No, Ron, don't-"

"I'll hex you so bad, Malfoy, that-"

"Shut up, Weaselby, let the lady talk." Draco snapped. Hermione glared at him.

"Don't bother, Ron, he's not worth our time." She said coldly. "Let's go."

The two of them turned and left. Ginny dismissed herself, saying she had to go find Lily.

Harry folded his arms and gave the two others a look of pure contempt. He noted how Draco had his arm almost possessively around his wife, whilst his hand rested lightly on her abdomen protectively. Obviously he knew the good news.

Malfoy caught him staring and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nicely handled. Hoping that the Ministry will let you have the same cell your father had?"

Draco narrowed his eyes, "Weaselby was asking for it, Potter."

"There was no need to say what you said."

"Old habits die hard. So sue me." He drawled, shrugging. Harry sighed and shook his head.

What he was really thinking was along the lines of 'do me a favour and pull your head out of your arse' but for peace's sake, he kept quiet.

"See you around, Potter." Draco mock saluted, before turning and leaving with his wife.

Ginny came up to Harry, tugging Lily along behind her.

"I took the liberty of inviting Ron and Hermione round to lunch. What are you staring at now?"

Harry shook his gaze from where Draco and Pansy were walking, hand in hand, and smiled at his wife.

"He hasn't changed a bit."


End file.
